


Heartbeats

by captainhurricane



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 10:56:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8976835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: All my mornings should start with you.





	

**Author's Note:**

> a christmas gift for another friend.

The crisp air is a surprising sting against Ronan’s face when he leaves the warmth of the church and his brother’s- Matthew’s- laughter behind. He squints up at the hazy sun, still partly hidden in the fog, the clouds surrounding it, hiding it all torn apart by the brisk winds. 

“Ronan.” 

Ronan turns, eyebrows raising at the sight of Adam on the bench, one steaming mug between his gloved hands, one beside him. 

“Hey,” Ronan says, lips twitching into a smile more genuine than anyone else can get out of him. Adam answers it with a one, slightly crooked one of his own and gestures. Ronan comes to him, takes the mug and takes a seat. Snifs at the drink. 

“As black as your soul, darlin’,” Adam says, voice low and smooth, his eyes as golden as honey. Ronan’s palms go clammy even through the cold. Gloves, after all, are for losers. 

“You didn’t have to wait,” Ronan says and takes a long, grateful sip. He tightens the scarf around his throat. Opens his eyes to watch the people trickle out of the church’s door, murmuring gently among themselves. 

“I didn’t wait that long. It’s a little too chilly for it.” Adam is looking. Ronan looks back. Takes in the sight of him: now more rare because of college and long distances but all the more precious to see. Adam has changed, his face more open, his face brighter, that strange otherness about him still unyielding and intriguing, his beautiful, beautiful hands now reaching for Ronan. Ronan frees his left hand for Adam, lets Adam bring it to his lips. Lets Adam kiss his knuckles and blow warm air on chilly fingers. 

Instead of admonishment, Adam merely looks at him and smiles. 

“I’ve missed you,” he says, lets the hand drop. Ronan doesn’t withdraw it, keeps it close to Adam’s thigh. 

“Nerd,” Ronan says and tickles Adam’s chin, turns his head to steal a coffee-flavoured kiss, to brush lips against lips, then gets his lips scratched against the slight, honey-coloured stubble covering Adam’s jaw. Adam’s giggle is breathless as he pulls away, his cheeks tinted pink. 

“Do we have time until their plane lands?” 

“Who?” Ronan takes a sip of his boiling coffee. As black as his heart. Ha. His heart is a shriveled, dark thing but at least it beats and it beats for both himself and this boy next to him. 

Adam snorts. “You know who. Blue and Gansey first, then Henry-” 

“Oh him,” Ronan murmurs but without any real malice. Adam nudges him with an elbow and tells him to behave. Ronan shows him his teeth but Adam is unbothered. 

“In two hours,” Ronan finally says. The thought of them all at the Barns with him and Adam and Opal and everything the Lynches had dreamt up-. it still makes him uncomfortable. But maybe, just maybe it will be yet another thing to fill up all the space inside Ronan, make sure that there are no secrets left for him to share, for him to keep. 

Maybe, just maybe the sight of his friends, his family amidst all the living dreams will remind him to keep loving them because they loved him even when he couldn’t see it or feel it. 

Maybe, just maybe it will be fine because Adam is smiling and Ronan would bring down the sky for that dimpled, freckled smile. 

“Ronan,” Adam murmurs, his finger on Ronan’s cheek. “Such a deep frown.” Ronan huffs and turns his head as sharp as a snake, catches Adam’s fingertip between his teeth. Adam’s giggle is another breathless, surprised thing and Ronan wants to put it in a glass jar and watch it and listen to it everytime there is a shadow on his shoulders. 

“Is your brother coming?” Adam asks then as they get up. 

“Nah, Matthew’s got something to do with the other choir boys. He knows the way.” 

Their fingers intertwine. Ronan clears his throat, is certain that Adam is still laughing at him for the reaction such a small, yet important gesture elicits. Adam isn’t: Adam is leaning over to kiss his cheek. 

“Is this okay?” Adam asks, not really one to make the first move, not at first but maybe college had given him a push. 

“More than,” Ronan says and finishes his coffee, crunches up the plastic cup to throw it into the nearby trashcan. 

“I’ve missed you. I’ve missed them,” Adam says. He doesn’t have to say but I will never come return here, not for good for Ronan to be able to hear it. 

“Nerd,” Ronan says again but waits until they’re at the BMW, until they’re seated to reach for Adam, to curl his hand around Adam’s neck. To press their foreheads together.

“Missed you too,” Ronan murmurs then, listens to Adam’s happy, soft sigh. Gets back to his own seat with a smile that turns into a smirk. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t worry. I think I have you on a good enough leash,” Adam says then as the BMW purrs to life. Ronan scoffs. 

“You fucking wish, Parrish.” 

“Darlin’, I know I do,” Adam says back, all soft and so casual. Yet Ronan’s heart thuds. Thud. Thud. Thud.


End file.
